Plumbago auriculata Blue

Plumbago auriculata Blue

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Common Names

Plumbago (english)
Leadwort (english)
Blousyselbos (afrikaans)
umabophe (zulu)

Taxonomy

Family PLUMBAGINACEAE
Genus Plumbago
Species auriculata
Sub Specie Blue
SA Plant Number
Basionym Plumbago auriculata Blue

Description

Plumbago auriculata blue is a hardy, scrambling, much branched, evergreen shrub.

It bears masses of edible, sky-blue Phlox-like flowers on and off all year round.

It is an important butterfly host plant and attracts both butterflies and birds to the garden. A popular garden and hedging plant that is also suitable for covering banks. 

Prune regularly to keep smaller and in shape as it can get quite wild. Train up a trellis to make a beautiful, floriferous climber that looks particularly good when planted with Senecio tamoides (Canary creeper) as they bloom together one with bright blue and one with bright yellow flowers. 

When kept short, it can be used as a groundcover or trimmed into a lovely small hedge. It grows in sun or shade.

Water well in summer and less in winter to give it a resting period for best results.

It has many traditional and medicinal uses.

Size Up to 2m

Wildlife

Wildlife garden plant:

It is an important butterfly host plant and attracts both butterflies and birds to the garden.

Uses

Distribution

Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu Natal,  Free State, Eastern Cape, Western Cape Natural Habitat:

Scrub, Thicket, Valley Bushveld

 

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